Spinning the Spider Web

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We chat with Spider-Man N64 developer Edge of Reality about bringing the game to Nintendo's console.

By IGN Staff

Activision's PlayStation port of Spider-Man is all set to debut on Nintendo 64 next week, and we caught up with its developer Edge of Reality to learn more about transitioning the game from 32- to 64-bit. Below are comments from the company's VP and lead engine programmer for Spider-Man N64 Mike Panoff as well as the game's technical director, producer and lead programmer Drew Fisher.

IGN64: When did you begin work on the N64 port of Spider-Man for N64?

Drew Fisher: Work on Spider-Man N64 began in February '00 and we were fully staffed in March '00.

IGN64: How long has the game been in development from start to finish?

Drew: We worked hard and the total duration for the project ended up being seven months.

IGN64: How big was the EOR team working on the title?

Drew: We had six code developers and we pulled in the occasional artist. Since we were working directly with PSX assets, much of the "tweaking" was done through game code.

IGN64: What difficulties did you have in porting Spider-Man to N64?

Drew: Well, I can say this has been a great title to work on! Both the content and our familiarity with the N64 hardware really came together well! Likewise, Activision is just great to work with. Initially the project was supposed to be released simultaneously with the PSX version so our development was concurrent with that of the Neversoft team. Although this process went smoothly there were the unavoidable problems of developing to a changing code base. In addition to the simultaneous development there were numerous special effects and system related additions that required development.

As we begin to finish up our final integration we had to address RAM memory and framerate performance issues. We also made a conscious decision early on to do what was required to retain the in-game audio voice-overs. We believed that this was an element of the game that could not be sacrificed and was part of the 'experience of being Spider-Man' that Neversoft truly brought home. Nintendo 64 owners deserved that so we worked hard to make sure they got it. Fortunately, we succeeded in doing this only after a fair bit of development. Audio was a significant portion of our final ROM but the results of the game are still vibrant color, cool action and fast-paced gameplay.

IGN64: What sacrifices were made in bringing the game to Nintendo's console? How have you handled the FMV issue?

Drew: The only real sacrifice was the removal of the FMV. I know, I know... I can hear the moans already...but it worked out really well! In Tony Hawk it was not as critical a part of the game however with Spider-Man the story is very central to the action and has all of the drama of a good comicbook. So, we had to develop another approach that would convey the story between levels without sacrificing the game-flow and the immersion element. We hit upon the idea of truly capturing the "comic book" feel of the Spider-Man game and property and decided to use panels to advance the action. We developed an image viewer and selected key images from the FMV and coupled this with text dialogue and some cool, but limited audio snippets. We feel that this was a great alternative to FMV. The story is still cool and the action still flows with the gameplay. We hope N64 gamers like it.

IGN64: What, would you say, has been improved with the N64 version?

Mike Panoff: Most of the differences are visual. I think some of the effects look a little better on the N64 (such as Mysterio's lasers, Spidey's shadow, or web goo dripping down a wall). The biggest difference, though, is the framerate. The EoR engine provides an extra level of culling, which makes the game run faster on some of the bigger levels. Our rendering engine also fully utilizes the N64's multiple processors to make it run as fast as possible on the N64. This is something we are really proud of and hope the N64 gamers like it as well.

IGN64: How many levels does the game feature? Can you give us a few examples of mission goals?

Mike: The gameplay is the same as the PSX version, which means it's a really fun experience (34 levels)! They both include the same number of levels and goals. One of my favorite examples is "Stop the Bomb." The bad-guys have activated a bomb in a bank. Once you defeat them, you need to figure what to do with the bomb. The key is figuring out a "SAFE" place in the bank where you can put it.

IGN64: Does the game use the 4MB Expansion Pak?

Mike: The game does use the Expansion Pak. Although not required, owners of the pak will get a performance increase on some of the levels.

IGN64: Did the experience gained with porting Tony Hawk to N64 help in Spider-Man's transition? Is it the same game engine?

Drew: Tony Hawk N64 allowed us to develop most of the core engine and tools we needed to work with Neversoft assets. In addition, the Tony Hawk N64 project gave us significant knowledge of the Neversoft engine and that allowed us to "hit-the-ground-running" with Spider-Man N64. Even though the Tony Hawk N64 engine was used, a substantial amount of development went into Spider-Man as it had a somewhat broader technical scope.

IGN64: Will this be your last N64 game?

Mike: That will be for the N64 market to decide. That being said, we are very proud of Spider-Man N64 and our previous Nintendo 64 projects.

Drew: Simply stated, we believe that once again we have been able to transition another awesome Neversoft title to the Nintendo 64 in a way that will please the Nintendo fans. This was, after all our goal. Kudos should go to Activision for bringing this cool title to the Nintendo audience. We worked very hard to bring the Spider-Man experience to Nintendo 64 owners. There were numerous technical achievements we made along the way that have resulted in Spider-Man N64, but in the end, we hope the Nintendo crowd will enjoy this game.

IGN64 would like to thank the Edge of Reality crew for the interview. We can't wait to play the final version!